Hendersonville couple forges relationship through service

Published: Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.

They grew up together attending Hendersonville's First Church of the Nazarene and even had their photograph taken at a Valentine's Day banquet when they were 3 and 5 years old.

As young adults, the two found their way to the same Tennessee university, where their friendship grew to a romance that led to their marriage in 2007.

But it was a need to help others that both 27-year-old Paige and 25-year-old Josh shared that led them to spend nearly two years working as missionaries in Poland.

They returned home this week. Before the couple left Poland, they took time to reflect on their time in the central European country and their plans for the future. They said the experience as missionaries strengthened their faith in God and their relationship with each other.

“We have been transformed as a result of the challenges we faced here. Prayer has taught us to fully rely on God and has caused our faith to grow in Him,” the couple wrote in an email message. “We have also learned that we really like to work together and we work well together as a couple.”

The Stineses talked about and prayed about serving as missionaries for a couple of years before deciding they could best serve in Poland through a coffee house ministry. They traveled to Poznan, Poland, in February 2011 and began ministering to the people who visited a coffee house where they worked.

The Church of the Nazarene operates coffee house ministries in several countries.

“The Church of the Nazarene has found creative and non-traditional ways to get into countries all around the world,” the couple wrote in their email. “In a predominately Catholic country, like Poland, the Church of the Nazarene currently exists through a series of coffee shops. The idea is that the coffee shop would be a means to support the development of the church and its ministries.”

Coffee shops in Poland are both places where people meet and build relationships and places to house a church once the coffee shop is closed, according to the Stineses.

In addition to their work in the coffee shop ministry, the couple was able to visit five other countries during their time away from home.

They traveled to Chennai, India, for a youth conference; Copenhagen, Denmark, for a coffee conference; Antalya, Turkey, for a denominational conference; and Kiev, Ukraine, to observe ministries and the ministry center the Church of the Nazarene has there.

“It is really hard to narrow down which one was our favorite, as each place was incredibly unique.

We might say that India was our favorite because of the relationships we were able to make there with other young adults in our church,” the Stineses wrote.

End of a long journey

They are looking forward to coming home to see family and friends again and to speaking English for the first time in nearly two years. The couple's families are also happy to have the couple home for a time.

“I cannot wait,” said Josh Stines' mother, Shirley. “I'm very excited for them to be home.” Mrs. Stines said she wasn't surprised when her son and his wife told her they planned to serve as missionaries. She watched the two of them grow up together in church and still has the photo of them together at the Valentine's banquet. “They both feel really called to help other people,” Mrs. Stines said.

“Josh always wanted to be a minister. I knew they would be happy.”

Mrs. Stines said she was more surprised when her son and his future wife began dating while attending Tribeca Nazarene University in Tennessee.

“I just never would have put those two together,” she said. “It has just worked out that they are a fit for each other.” The couple will spend about a month in Hendersonville visiting with family and friends before moving to Kent, Wash., where they will work ministering to young people and families at Kent Church of the Nazarene. Paige will also work toward finishing the requirements to earn her license as a marriage and family therapist.

But as excited as they are to begin working together in their new job, the couple has not ruled out being missionaries again.

“We feel like for now, it was time for us to come home for a couple of years; however, both of us agree that we are leaving Poland with a willing heart and an open mind to return to the mission field in the future,” they wrote.

<p>Josh and Paige Stines always shared a common bond.</p><p>They grew up together attending Hendersonville's First Church of the Nazarene and even had their photograph taken at a Valentine's Day banquet when they were 3 and 5 years old.</p><p>As young adults, the two found their way to the same Tennessee university, where their friendship grew to a romance that led to their marriage in 2007.</p><p>But it was a need to help others that both 27-year-old Paige and 25-year-old Josh shared that led them to spend nearly two years working as missionaries in Poland.</p><p>They returned home this week. Before the couple left Poland, they took time to reflect on their time in the central European country and their plans for the future. They said the experience as missionaries strengthened their faith in God and their relationship with each other.</p><p>“We have been transformed as a result of the challenges we faced here. Prayer has taught us to fully rely on God and has caused our faith to grow in Him,” the couple wrote in an email message. “We have also learned that we really like to work together and we work well together as a couple.”</p><p>The Stineses talked about and prayed about serving as missionaries for a couple of years before deciding they could best serve in Poland through a coffee house ministry. They traveled to Poznan, Poland, in February 2011 and began ministering to the people who visited a coffee house where they worked.</p><p>The Church of the Nazarene operates coffee house ministries in several countries.</p><p>“The Church of the Nazarene has found creative and non-traditional ways to get into countries all around the world,” the couple wrote in their email. “In a predominately Catholic country, like Poland, the Church of the Nazarene currently exists through a series of coffee shops. The idea is that the coffee shop would be a means to support the development of the church and its ministries.”</p><p>Coffee shops in Poland are both places where people meet and build relationships and places to house a church once the coffee shop is closed, according to the Stineses.</p><p>In addition to their work in the coffee shop ministry, the couple was able to visit five other countries during their time away from home.</p><p>They traveled to Chennai, India, for a youth conference; Copenhagen, Denmark, for a coffee conference; Antalya, Turkey, for a denominational conference; and Kiev, Ukraine, to observe ministries and the ministry center the Church of the Nazarene has there.</p><p>“It is really hard to narrow down which one was our favorite, as each place was incredibly unique.</p><p>We might say that India was our favorite because of the relationships we were able to make there with other young adults in our church,” the Stineses wrote.</p><p>End of a long journey</p><p>They are looking forward to coming home to see family and friends again and to speaking English for the first time in nearly two years. The couple's families are also happy to have the couple home for a time.</p><p>“I cannot wait,” said Josh Stines' mother, Shirley. “I'm very excited for them to be home.” Mrs. Stines said she wasn't surprised when her son and his wife told her they planned to serve as missionaries. She watched the two of them grow up together in church and still has the photo of them together at the Valentine's banquet. “They both feel really called to help other people,” Mrs. Stines said.</p><p>“Josh always wanted to be a minister. I knew they would be happy.”</p><p>Mrs. Stines said she was more surprised when her son and his future wife began dating while attending Tribeca Nazarene University in Tennessee.</p><p>“I just never would have put those two together,” she said. “It has just worked out that they are a fit for each other.” The couple will spend about a month in Hendersonville visiting with family and friends before moving to Kent, Wash., where they will work ministering to young people and families at Kent Church of the Nazarene. Paige will also work toward finishing the requirements to earn her license as a marriage and family therapist.</p><p>But as excited as they are to begin working together in their new job, the couple has not ruled out being missionaries again.</p><p>“We feel like for now, it was time for us to come home for a couple of years; however, both of us agree that we are leaving Poland with a willing heart and an open mind to return to the mission field in the future,” they wrote.</p>